Eredia’s 1615 publication “History of the Services and Martyrdom of Luis Monteiro Coutinho” depicting the 1577 battle between Albuquerque’s Portuguese fleet and the Achinese fleet off the Johor River.

1583

M1J Wreck Malacca (1583)

Shabandaria

Tanjong Rhu

Sungei Bedok

Tanah Merah

Erédia’s 1604 chart of the “Straits of Sincapura and Sabbam”

Shabandar

From Matelieff’s journal, VOC, 1606:“Towards the evening [of 30 April 1606], two perahus from Johor joined the fleet… The commander was the Shahbandar of Singapore, called Sri Raja Negara. Admiral [Matelieff] welcomed them as they were coming from the king of Johor, our ally, and let them navigate through the fleet and view the ships.”

From the Sejarah Melayu:“…the batin [lord] of Singapore with the title Raja Negara.”

From Jacques de Coutre, 1620s:“We anchored in front of a place which was called Sabandaria, which is inhabited by Malays, subjects of the king of Johor to whom the seletes [Orang Laut], who sail in the straits, pay tribute… [The port] is one of the best that serves the [East] Indies.”

Speculation: The title Sri Raja Negara has military connotations. Raja Negara Selat is equivalent to Ketua Orang Laut. Raja Laut was one of four sons of the late Sultan of Johor.

11“Xabandaria” depicted on Andŕe Pererira dos Reis’ 1654 chart of Melaka and Singapore Straits.

1847

1839

1957

1958

1978-1981

Kallang Basin finds in the late 1960s(Wanli period: 1573-1620)

Kallang Basin Finds

Abraham van den Broecke, the VOC factor in Johor, wrote “We havereceived news that I Sin Ho, the Chinese merchant, while returningwith his junk was lost at sea somewhere around Cambodia. For thatreason the VOC looses 10 piculs of raw silk and other Chinese goods”.(21st July, 1608)

Binh Thuan Wreck, Vietnam (c.1608)

Binh Thuan Wreck (1608)

Vung Tau Wreck (1690)

Santa Catarina (1603)

“Copper, spelter, alum, aloes wood, radix China, raw and fine silk, some gold specie and many other precious things.”

Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion (1638)

Chart depicting the 1603 battle between the Portuguese and the Dutch off Changi Point.(VOC journal, 1607)

Raja Bongsu of Johor congratulates the Dutch commander, Jakob Piertersz van Enkhuysen, in the vicinity of Changi.

Battle of Cape Rachado, 1606

In 1613 Aceh attacks Johor, and probably Singapore.The VOC factory is destroyed, with the loss of “pepper, benzoin, cotton cloth, reals-of-eight, gold, gold-handled krisses.”

1577

Raja Bongsu, the Prince of Siak, and the ruler of Pahang were taken to Aceh.

1890

G.M.A.W. Lodewijcksz, Premier livre de l’histoire de la navigation aux Indes Orientales, par les Hollandais, Amsterdam, 1598.

In response to the Dutch threat to the Malukus (Spice Islands), a Spanish armada was formed under Governor Juan de Silva of the Spanish Philippines in 1616, consisting of 10 heavily armed galleons, 4 oared galleys, 1 patache, 3 frigates, and support vessels.

They were to have joined forces with the Portuguese off Singapore before attacking the Dutch in the Malukus. However, the 4 largest Portuguese warships had been sunk by the Acehnese in Melaka Straits and by the Dutch off Melaka in late 1615.

1588

1755

Old Strait

1709

1823

Old Strait

New Strait

Raffles Lighthouse

Old Strait

New Strait

Governor’s (Main) Strait

1690

The Portuguse had considered building a fort on Sentosa in the late 16th

century (Jacques de Coutre), noting stones for construction and coral for mortar, along with a freshwater source.

The Dutch also considered establishing a fort in Johor, Karimun or Sentosa during early 17th century .

Dutch Fort Concordia, Kupang, Timor 1656

In 1619 the VOC establish Batavia as their base.

(Maritime Explorations’ Researcher, Peter Potters, The Hague, 2002)

1633

Wanli Wreck (c.1625)

In 1641 the VOC finally take Melaka from the Portuguese.

1665

2004

Kanxi Wreck, Pulau Numbing, just southeast of Bintan

2004

Vung Tau Wreck, Vietnam (c.1690)

F. de Haan Oud Batavia Special Collections of Leiden University Library, Mi577.

Batavia 1656

Batu Sawar (Johor) was sacked by Jambi in 1673. The Sultan escaped to Pahang and died four years later. His successor, Sultan Ibrahim (1677–1685), then engaged the help of the Bugis in Riau. Johor eventually prevailed but remained to some extent dependant on the Bugis.

Sultan Mahmud Shah returned to Johor around 1690, but in 1699 (after some very erratic behaviour)….

…. His Highness mounted the chair and was carried to Friday prayers. At the gate to the mosque the Bendaharaand the noblemen were waiting. Then Megat Seri Rama arrived, bowed and said, “Your slave is committing treason, My Lord,” and with his parang hit the head of His Highness. White blood flowed, like cream of coconut milk …From Hikayat Siak (Chronicle of the Kingdom of Siak)